How Much An Average Lobster Dinner Would Cost You In The 1970s

How often do you go out for lobster? It's not an everyday meal for most people, and depending on where you live, it can be considered a special occasion food and have a price tag to match. But was it always like that? A lobster dinner at Red Lobster in the mid-1970s cost $6.29 and included a whole Maine lobster, fried fish, and New England cod cakes. Seems like a deal, right? The truth is a little more nuanced.

Though prices vary by region, a lobster dinner at Red Lobster in 2026 featuring a 1.25-pound Maine lobster and two sides costs about $38. While that sounds like a far cry from $6.29, adjusting for inflation and assuming the earlier menu was from around 1976 puts that $6.29 at about $36.91 in 2026 dollars. So Red Lobster's prices have been very consistent with inflation. Plus, the modern menu lets you choose between a classic preparation or having your lobster split, steamed, and cleaned, along with a selection of about 15  sides and a beverage. The extra $1 or so for the modern meal is arguably worth it. Makes you wonder what Red Lobster's Endless Shrimp would have cost back then, though.

A 1975 menu from Red Lobster lists broiled Florida lobster stuffed with special dressing for $4.59. Adjusted for inflation, that's about $28.49, but the menu makes no mention of sides. Florida spiny lobsters also don't have the large claws of Maine lobsters, so you get less claw meat. A different menu from about 1974 lists a whole broiled and stuffed Maine lobster for $7.99. In 2026 dollars, that would be $54.12. That price doesn't mention sides.

Under the right circumstances, a lobster meal today can be less expensive than some lobster meals in the 1970s. However, you can tweak a modern Red Lobster order, which makes it a little pricier. Some of the sides and beverages come with an upcharge. While sides like rice, hush puppies, and broccoli are included at no extra cost, if you choose Lobster Pasta Au Gratin, that's almost $8 more. Creamy Lobster Mashed Potatoes add $6. A classic lemonade is over $4. The initial $38 price can quickly go over $50.

An oft-repeated tale is that lobsters were once considered the food of the poor during the early days of America. Stories also claim lobsters were fed to prisoners and used as fertilizer. These tales are not entirely true and may have been conflated with reports that early settlers and sailors ate lobster when other food was scarce, because it was available in abundance.

A lobster in 1740 would cost you three halfpence, per the Evening Chronicle in 1908. Adjusted for inflation, that's about £1.09 today or $1.47 US. So while lobster was cheap once upon a time, that was largely because it was abundant and relatively easy to catch. That doesn't mean it was just for people without much money, but it was easier for everyone to get if they lived where it was available.

If you're in the market for lobster today, you can at least feel some relief that prices aren't too much worse than they were 50 years ago. If preparing it at home, make sure you avoid these common mistakes when buying lobster, and give some of these lobster recipes a try.